Established in 1922 as a humble technical school, Makerere University is one of the oldest and most prestigious Universities in Africa. In January of that year, the school, which was later renamed Uganda Technical College, opened its doors to 14 day students who began studying Carpentry, Building and Mechanics.
History
Established in 1922 as a technical college, Makerere University was affiliated to the University of London until 1963 when it became one of the three constituent colleges of the University of East Africa. It became an independent University in 1970 by Act of Parliament.
Education
At the undergraduate level Makerere University has 145 programmes which include 11 (Eleven) Diplomas and 134 (One Hundred and Thirty Four) Bachelors programmes. The University also offers over 139 Postgraduate Programmes which include 17 (Seventeen) Postgraduate Diplomas and 135 (One Hundred and Thirty Five) Masters Degree programmes. All academic units have provision for offering Doctoral Degrees either by research only or by course work and dissertation.
Research
The University is always seeking to increase its investment in research, recognising that pertinent and applicable research is critical to the development needs of the country.
Career
The Career Development Centre (CDC) is a partnership between Makerere University and NFT Consult, a leading Human Resource Consultancy.
Housed at the College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), exists to to facilitate learning and practice as well as transitions and connections from academic life to professional employment.
Below you will find scholarships related to Makerere University. Distinction can be made between scholarships provided by the University and those provided by independent providers.
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
Best Global Universities Rankings
639
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 108 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
2025
2026
2027
804
747
639
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
QS World University Rankings
1001
By TopUniversities
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
901
1001
1001
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
No 2027 Ranking
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
2025
2026
2027
-
801
-
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
The Counselling and Guidance Centre is here to help you address personal or emotional challenges that may affect you while studying or working in Makerere University. The Counselling and Guidance Centre works closely with all university units to enable students realize their academic and personal potential and to assist staff in addressing psychological issues that may affect them in living worthy and productive lives.
Library services
Makerere University Library comprises of the Main Library and seven specialised Branch Libraries, five located Makerere University main campus and two off campus. The library is adjacent to the freedom square, opposite the Faculty of Agriculture.
ICT services
Makerere University embarked on an ambitious project, with the support of external partners, to integrate information and communication technology (ICT) in all its functions as one of the critical elements of its strategic plan.
Medical services
Makerere University Hospital comprises various units which render different services to the University Community. It offers both curative and preventive services. The dental unit offers extraction, scaling, polishing and filling-in services for the teeth.
Campus life
Makerere University is located on Makerere Hill which is one of the many hills on which Kampala, the Capital City of Uganda, is built. The main Campus is about 5 km to the North of the City Centre covering an area of 300 acres. The location offers an excellent academic environment free from all forms of disturbances associated with city centre locations, as portrayed in the University Anthem.
Sports facilities
There are number of recreation and sports activities at the University. The Department of Sports and Recreation offers welfare and sports skills services to the students through a comprehensive, dynamic and exciting Inter-Hall Sports Championships scheduled to take place during the First Semester of the each academic year.
Accreditation
Makerere University is officially accredited by the Ugandan National Council for Higher Education.
My aim is to save people's lives in the world but my dream keeps falling short because of tuition issues at campus
I will be happy if you respond to me positively
Posted byMugume Ronald
Studied fromAug 2026 - Aug 2031
Posted onSep 2026
3/5
Having more experince in science and IT
I year of experince in science and IT and geting chance to improve on my skills
Posted byBamwoze Moses
Studied fromMar 2026 - Mar 2027
Posted onSep 2026
1/5
My PhD at Makerere University
For sure Makerere University is the premier University in the Country( Uganda), East Africa and Africa in general. The University has the greatest history of all University as it was established during colonial time in 1922.
It has trained many great men and women in Africa for instance the Tanzania founding father Julius Nyerere, the third president of Tanzania Benjamini Mkapa, the third president of Kenya Mwai Kibaki, and many more just to mention a few.
Being a national flag bearer in education in the country it has the best number of lecturers however, it requires more teaching auditoriums to accommodate the number of students.
My study experience at Makerere so far its fine up to now because all the course units has taught and all necessary workshops have been conducted to help the entire PhD journey to be the wonderful experience.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!